{"id":1213,"date":"2026-02-16T22:40:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T22:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/asian-upside-catfish-mystus-leucophasis-5cm\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T22:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T22:40:13","slug":"asian-upside-catfish-mystus-leucophasis-5cm","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=asian-upside-catfish-mystus-leucophasis-5cm","title":{"rendered":"Asian Upside Catfish Mystus Leucophasis 5cm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"260\" data-end=\"689\"><strong data-start=\"260\" data-end=\"273\">Overview:<\/strong><br data-start=\"273\" data-end=\"276\" \/>The <strong data-start=\"280\" data-end=\"309\">Asian Upside-Down Catfish<\/strong> (<em data-start=\"311\" data-end=\"331\">Mystus leucophasis<\/em>) is a fascinating and unique species named for its <strong data-start=\"383\" data-end=\"413\">habit of swimming belly-up<\/strong>, especially when feeding at the water\u2019s surface or resting under driftwood. With its <strong data-start=\"499\" data-end=\"529\">sleek, torpedo-shaped body<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"531\" data-end=\"547\">long barbels<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"553\" data-end=\"593\">shimmering silver-to-dark coloration<\/strong>, this nocturnal oddball brings both character and movement to medium-to-large freshwater tanks.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"691\" data-end=\"904\"><strong data-start=\"691\" data-end=\"702\">Origin:<\/strong><br data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"705\" \/>Native to <strong data-start=\"715\" data-end=\"733\">Southeast Asia<\/strong>, particularly the <strong data-start=\"752\" data-end=\"777\">Irrawaddy River basin<\/strong> in <strong data-start=\"781\" data-end=\"792\">Myanmar<\/strong>, <em data-start=\"794\" data-end=\"814\">Mystus leucophasis<\/em> inhabits slow-moving rivers, swamps, and flooded forests where it hunts at dusk and dawn.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"1189\"><strong data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"918\">Feeding:<\/strong><br data-start=\"918\" data-end=\"921\" \/>An <strong data-start=\"924\" data-end=\"950\">opportunistic omnivore<\/strong>, this catfish accepts a wide variety of foods including <strong data-start=\"1007\" data-end=\"1067\">sinking pellets, bloodworms, brine shrimp, insect larvae<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"1073\" data-end=\"1095\">frozen meaty foods<\/strong>. Will also feed near the surface\u2014often upside down\u2014making it a joy to watch during mealtimes.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1191\" data-end=\"1460\"><strong data-start=\"1191\" data-end=\"1206\">Tank Mates:<\/strong><br data-start=\"1206\" data-end=\"1209\" \/>Peaceful to semi-aggressive depending on size and environment. Best kept with <strong data-start=\"1287\" data-end=\"1328\">similar-sized or larger peaceful fish<\/strong>such as gouramis, rainbowfish, larger barbs, loaches, or calm cichlids. Avoid small fish or shrimp, which may be mistaken for food.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1462\" data-end=\"1485\"><strong data-start=\"1462\" data-end=\"1483\">Water Parameters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1486\" data-end=\"1674\">\n<li data-start=\"1486\" data-end=\"1524\">\n<p data-start=\"1488\" data-end=\"1524\">Temperature: <strong data-start=\"1501\" data-end=\"1522\">75\u201382\u00b0F (24\u201328\u00b0C)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1525\" data-end=\"1544\">\n<p data-start=\"1527\" data-end=\"1544\">pH: <strong data-start=\"1531\" data-end=\"1542\">6.5\u20137.5<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1545\" data-end=\"1566\">\n<p data-start=\"1547\" data-end=\"1566\">Moderate hardness<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1567\" data-end=\"1604\">\n<p data-start=\"1569\" data-end=\"1604\">Minimum Tank Size: <strong data-start=\"1588\" data-end=\"1602\">55 gallons<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1605\" data-end=\"1674\">\n<p data-start=\"1607\" data-end=\"1674\">Provide <strong data-start=\"1615\" data-end=\"1652\">plenty of driftwood, hiding spots<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"1658\" data-end=\"1674\">dim lighting<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1676\" data-end=\"1707\"><strong data-start=\"1676\" data-end=\"1705\">Behavior &amp; Compatibility:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1708\" data-end=\"1910\">\n<li data-start=\"1708\" data-end=\"1761\">\n<p data-start=\"1710\" data-end=\"1761\">Nocturnal but may become more active in dim tanks<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1762\" data-end=\"1833\">\n<p data-start=\"1764\" data-end=\"1833\">Best kept in <strong data-start=\"1777\" data-end=\"1800\">groups of 3 or more<\/strong> for natural schooling behavior<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1834\" data-end=\"1910\">\n<p data-start=\"1836\" data-end=\"1910\">Prefers <strong data-start=\"1844\" data-end=\"1868\">low to moderate flow<\/strong>, subdued lighting, and <strong data-start=\"1892\" data-end=\"1910\">soft substrate<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1912\" data-end=\"1932\"><strong data-start=\"1912\" data-end=\"1930\">Special Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1933\" data-end=\"2185\">\n<li data-start=\"1933\" data-end=\"1998\">\n<p data-start=\"1935\" data-end=\"1998\">Can grow up to <strong data-start=\"1950\" data-end=\"1965\">8\u201310 inches<\/strong>, so needs ample swimming space<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1999\" data-end=\"2035\">\n<p data-start=\"2001\" data-end=\"2035\">Extremely hardy once established<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2036\" data-end=\"2109\">\n<p data-start=\"2038\" data-end=\"2109\">Will thrive in <strong data-start=\"2053\" data-end=\"2082\">planted or natural setups<\/strong> with cover and structure<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2110\" data-end=\"2185\">\n<p data-start=\"2112\" data-end=\"2185\">Captivating for aquarists who enjoy unusual behaviors and oddball species<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2187\" data-end=\"2462\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">The <strong data-start=\"2191\" data-end=\"2220\">Asian Upside-Down Catfish<\/strong> is a <strong data-start=\"2226\" data-end=\"2274\">mysterious, elegant, and intelligent species<\/strong> that adds motion and intrigue to any large freshwater aquarium. Its unique swimming style and peaceful temperament make it a standout choice for aquarists looking for something different.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview:The Asian Upside-Down Catfish (Mystus leucophasis) is a fascinating and unique species named for its habit of swimming belly-up, especially when feeding at the water\u2019s surface or resting under driftwood. With its sleek, torpedo-shaped body, long barbels, and shimmering silver-to-dark coloration, this nocturnal oddball brings both character and movement to medium-to-large freshwater tanks. Origin:Native to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1212,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[72],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1213","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-synodontis","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/1213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=1213"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=1213"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=1213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}